Responding to safety concerns around e-bikes and e-scooters as the devices’ popularity rises, Batavia is considering implementing regulations as to how e-bikes and other motorized devices can and can’t be used in the city.

Many other suburban municipalities have recently taken up legislation in response to concerns about these devices’ safety — from nearby St. Charles to Highland Park and Park Ridge.

On Monday at its Committee of the Whole meeting, the Batavia City Council heard a presentation from Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers about “e-mobility” devices and what kind of regulations the city may choose to impose.

At Monday’s meeting, Blowers noted the benefits of the devices, as well as their potential safety issues — like individuals operating the equipment in an unsafe manner, riding too close to pedestrians or in congested areas on sidewalks and disregarding traffic control devices. In particular, he noted concerns with child riders, including a lack of proper safety gear, unfamiliarity with the rules of the road and a lack of parental oversight.

So, the police department, along with the Batavia Active Transportation Advisory Committee, is looking to develop some regulations for the city for e-bikes and similar devices.

“This is not a … goal to discourage or limit the opportunity for people to utilize e-mobility devices, but rather to ensure that they’re doing so in a safe and responsible way,” Blowers said.

But, one difficulty that’s arisen when it comes to regulations is that different municipalities have different rules, and that’s on top of some state regulations governing these devices’ use.

“There is some rider and public confusion,” Blowers said. “So, we want to enact (a) local regulation that’s …easy to understand … (and) easy to enforce and that closely aligns with the existing state laws, because we don’t want to have something completely outside the box.”

Under Illinois law, e-bikes, which are sometimes referred to as low-speed electric bicycles, are different from an electric motorcycle. An e-bike must have an electric motor of less than 750 watts, and is split into three classes.

Class 1 e-bikes have motors that only provide assistance when the rider is pedaling, whereas Class 2 e-bikes have an electric motor that cuts out when the brake is applied. Class 3 e-bikes, like Class 1, have a motor that stops when its rider stops pedaling. Riders must be 16 years old or older to use Class 3 e-bikes, according to state law.

State law also indicates that a rider can operate a low-speed electric bicycle on any roadway a traditional bike can use, including in bike lanes. E-bikes can’t be operated on sidewalks, however.

According to the 2025 Illinois Rules of the Road from the Secretary of State’s Office, low-speed electric and gas bicycles may not exceed 20 mph.

But the state’s rules also allow local governments to prohibit some or all classes of e-bikes on bike paths, which has created a patchwork of different laws across Chicago’s suburbs.

On Monday, Blowers noted particular concern with “e-motos,” or electric motorcycles, being used on shared paths, sidewalks and roadways. An e-moto, according to Blowers, can often exceed 20 mph without its rider pedaling, and sometimes lacks pedals entirely. He said they’re not currently regulated under state law, but municipalities often regulate them as they do motor vehicles.

Low-speed electric scooters, on the other hand, are regulated by the state, which requires riders to be 18 years old or older. There are no state definitions for faster e-scooters, Blowers said. He noted that the city, as it considers local rules for these devices, may be able to create another classification for these scooters, and recommended that they maintain at least the minimum restrictions in place by the state for the lower speed version.

As far as the specifics of a future ordinance, Blowers pointed to some of the major issues other municipalities have regulations on, like requiring helmets for riders under 16, prohibiting cellphone use while riding, requiring parental oversight or parental responsibility for a minor’s actions and instituting yield requirements for riders when they’re approaching pedestrians. He also noted things like speed limit recommendations on shared paths, mandatory dismount zones in downtown areas, prohibiting the use of e-mobility devices on sidewalks and lighting requirements for the devices.

Blowers said the city’s goal when crafting an ordinance would be to largely mirror state statute when it comes to regulations for e-bikes, but e-motos are the “primary concern” in that they are unregulated currently.

“Those are the devices that I think likely need a higher level of scrutiny,” Blowers said of e-motos.

As far as enforcement, Blowers emphasized that the city would likely rely on local prosecution, rather than criminal court, for violations of any future e-bike policy, as it enables more flexibility and often lighter penalties. He also suggested the possibility of a graduated enforcement, in which first-time violations warrant a lower fine and fines increase with repeated violations.

Blowers’ presentation also emphasized the importance of a public education campaign before enforcement was to begin in the city, including partnerships with entities like local schools, bike shops and community groups.

At Monday’s meeting, City Council members weighed in on varying aspects of the possible local legislation, from the specific requirements the city wants to impose to how it’s enforced.

Ald. Alan Wolff, for example, suggested making violators of the policy do community service rather than imposing fines, and emphasized the need for education on any regulations that are passed, including partnership with the school district or park district.

“That, to me, will be the biggest way we can make this better and make it safer,” Wolff said. “I don’t want us to wait to change stuff for this (until) somebody gets killed.”

Ald. Kevin Malone emphasized the importance of lights so the bikes aren’t “disappearing in the dark” as being part of any future regulations.

Asked about helmet requirements by the council, Blowers said at the meeting that he had not seen other municipalities adding helmet requirements for adults, only for those 16 and under and a general recommendation that adults wear them.

Ald. Jim Fahrenbach asked about the possibility of an adult helmet requirement in Batavia, to which Blowers explained that the city likely could, but noted that differing rules across municipalities could present challenges.

Ald. Dustin Pieper said he is a regular e-bike rider and that he often has to use the sidewalk to activate the crosswalk button, so he suggested that to be considered in terms of enforcing any bans on sidewalk use.

In response, Blowers said that’s an example where “an officer’s discretion comes into play” and that the concern with enforcement is more so when riders are riding quickly down sidewalks.

Malone also asked about the parental responsibility requirement, and Blowers explained that, in the case of a violation, parents are “going to kind of be on the hook for” fines incurred by their children.

Ald. Jennifer Baerren said she’s supportive of gradual penalties and parental responsibility for violations, but said she thinks the money from penalties issued could be “an opportunity to invest into more education” on the issue.

And Ald. Leah Leman asked how enforceable any local legislation would be, particularly given the proliferation of e-bikes.

“Are we just going to have a police officer sitting down at Shumway and Wilson just handing out tickets … every five minutes to kids who come through?,” Leman asked.

Wolff said that the city needs to prioritize education and compliance, so that people “know what’s expected of their kids when they’re on these, what’s expected of the adults when they’re on these.”

Leman also pointed out the challenges with riding bicycles on roadways in Batavia, and said that the city isn’t currently enforcing the prohibition of riding bicycles on sidewalks.

“Even if we make an ordinance, I don’t see us enforcing things like helmets or people being on sidewalks,” Leman said. “I am really asking, are we just putting an ordinance in place just so we can say we have it, but it’s not really going to do anything?”

Malone responded that what he’s looking for in local legislation is guidance for parents or commuters for what kinds of e-mobility devices they can purchase and then use in the city, as well as providing guidance to sellers about what kinds of devices are allowed and enabling the police to penalize “egregious” violations.

Ald. Tim Lanci also emphasized that enforcement of the use of these devices “starts at home” since the majority of users are kids who don’t have access to cars. He said education “goes a long way,” and that the ordinance provides “some teeth” for enforcement.

Fahrenbach referred to this as “step one,” and said that legislation on these devices is just beginning. And Wolff suggested they don’t implement fines at first, and emphasized education efforts as a priority.

Blowers said, based on the council’s direction, that an ordinance would begin to be drafted with a helmet requirement for youth and a possible parental responsibility component, as well as creating a higher speed classification for scooters.

But, he noted, with state regulations expected down the line, any rules the city creates could be subject to change.

“We might be back here in a few months asking to change things,” Blowers said. “But I think at this point, with what we’ve seen and with how slow … things can move at the state level sometimes, it’s probably prudent to just advance a local ordinance at this time and then if we need to amend it down the road, we do so.”

mmorrow@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/batavia-mulling-e-bike-rules/ 

The Will County Board plans to hire an outside consultant for up to $75,000 to provide a financial analysis of police services provided by the Will County sheriff’s department to the village of Homer Glen.

Homer Glen, which incorporated as a municipality in 2001, does not have its own police department. Rather, the village has paid the Will County sheriff’s department to serve and protect its community within its corporate limits.

County officials said the original intergovernmental agreement was authorized in 2001 and renewed most recently in 2007. This would be the first time an outside firm would review financial and operational matters.

County Auditor Kevin “Duffy” Blackburn said a third party consultant would provide an objective and fair analysis of the true cost of policing Homer Glen. He said the county plans to choose a consultant that specializes in law enforcement audits to look at all the direct and indirect costs that go into the services provided.

Since the consultants would have expertise in evaluating the costs of police services, they can also compare what other counties are doing with what Will County is offering, Blackburn said.

He said his office outsourcing the work to a specialized firm would also save money rather than divert members of his staff and the Will County sheriff’s staff on a special project. Blackburn said he is not an expert in law enforcement nuances.

Homer Glen last April passed its fiscal year 2025-26 budget, anticipating to pay $5.21 million to the sheriff’s department, which was a 3.75% increase from the previous year, according to the village’s website.

County Board member Sherry Newquist, the chair of the Finance Committee, said in a phone interview the analysis will determine if the county is charging appropriately for these services and said it is prudent the county moves forward on the study.

If numbers align, it provides a peace of mind, said Newquist, a Steger Democrat. If they don’t, it will help the county make appropriate adjustments.

Newquist said Will County taxpayers are not expected to subsidize police services for Homer Glen, so if the county is undercharging the village, other taxpayers are contributing to the cost of their policing.

The report would also help the village’s officials understand what they are getting for their money, Newquist said.

The study is long overdue, board member Julie Berkowicz, a Naperville Republican, said during Thursday’s County Board meeting.

“We may very well find that it is costing the county much more money than we are getting in return from the recipient,” said Berkowicz, the vice chair of the Finance Committee. “We have to answer to the taxpayer and make sure that it is being done fairly and accurately.”

Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said the terms of the contract with the sheriff’s department are reviewed and renewed each year, and the intergovernmental agreement has worked since its inception.

Neitzke-Troike said yearly the agreement is about the same cost because it includes the same officers with the same duties. The sheriff’s department by law cannot make a profit from Homer Glen, and the village only pays for the services it needs, she said.

She said she is not concerned the price tag for law enforcement will drastically change, but said county officials did not reach out to her to let her know about this analysis. The mayor said she has lost trust in Will County, after the village spent more than 1 1/2 years fighting the county’s plan to widen 143rd Street through town, which residents opposed.

The police cost analysis is likely to take a few months to complete and will involve Homer Glen officials, Blackburn said.

Board member Steve Balich, a Homer Glen Republican, said it makes sense to do the study.

“It is breaking the law if we are overcharging them,” Balich said. “If we are not … we’re hurting the county. So we need to have that accurate figure.”

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/will-county-sheriff-policing-homer-glen/ 

The Will County Board plans to hire an outside consultant for up to $75,000 to provide a financial analysis of police services provided by the Will County sheriff’s department to the village of Homer Glen.

Homer Glen, which incorporated as a municipality in 2001, does not have its own police department. Rather, the village has paid the Will County sheriff’s department to serve and protect its community within its corporate limits.

County officials said the original intergovernmental agreement was authorized in 2001 and renewed most recently in 2007. This would be the first time an outside firm would review financial and operational matters.

County Auditor Kevin “Duffy” Blackburn said a third party consultant would provide an objective and fair analysis of the true cost of policing Homer Glen. He said the county plans to choose a consultant that specializes in law enforcement audits to look at all the direct and indirect costs that go into the services provided.

Since the consultants would have expertise in evaluating the costs of police services, they can also compare what other counties are doing with what Will County is offering, Blackburn said.

He said his office outsourcing the work to a specialized firm would also save money rather than divert members of his staff and the Will County sheriff’s staff on a special project. Blackburn said he is not an expert in law enforcement nuances.

Homer Glen last April passed its fiscal year 2025-26 budget, anticipating to pay $5.21 million to the sheriff’s department, which was a 3.75% increase from the previous year, according to the village’s website.

County Board member Sherry Newquist, the chair of the Finance Committee, said in a phone interview the analysis will determine if the county is charging appropriately for these services and said it is prudent the county moves forward on the study.

If numbers align, it provides a peace of mind, said Newquist, a Steger Democrat. If they don’t, it will help the county make appropriate adjustments.

Newquist said Will County taxpayers are not expected to subsidize police services for Homer Glen, so if the county is undercharging the village, other taxpayers are contributing to the cost of their policing.

The report would also help the village’s officials understand what they are getting for their money, Newquist said.

The study is long overdue, board member Julie Berkowicz, a Naperville Republican, said during Thursday’s County Board meeting.

“We may very well find that it is costing the county much more money than we are getting in return from the recipient,” said Berkowicz, the vice chair of the Finance Committee. “We have to answer to the taxpayer and make sure that it is being done fairly and accurately.”

Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said the terms of the contract with the sheriff’s department are reviewed and renewed each year, and the intergovernmental agreement has worked since its inception.

Neitzke-Troike said yearly the agreement is about the same cost because it includes the same officers with the same duties. The sheriff’s department by law cannot make a profit from Homer Glen, and the village only pays for the services it needs, she said.

She said she is not concerned the price tag for law enforcement will drastically change, but said county officials did not reach out to her to let her know about this analysis. The mayor said she has lost trust in Will County, after the village spent more than 1 1/2 years fighting the county’s plan to widen 143rd Street through town, which residents opposed.

The police cost analysis is likely to take a few months to complete and will involve Homer Glen officials, Blackburn said.

Board member Steve Balich, a Homer Glen Republican, said it makes sense to do the study.

“It is breaking the law if we are overcharging them,” Balich said. “If we are not … we’re hurting the county. So we need to have that accurate figure.”

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/will-county-sheriff-policing-homer-glen/ 

Por ANDREW SELIGMAN

CHICAGO (AP) — Los Bears de Chicago dieron otro paso en su posible mudanza a Indiana el jueves después de que un comité clave aprobó un plan para crear una agencia que ayudaría a concretar la construcción de un estadio.

El Comité de Medios y Arbitrios de la Cámara de Representantes de Indiana aprobó por unanimidad un proyecto de ley para establecer una Autoridad de Estadios en el Noroeste de Indiana, destinada a financiar, construir y arrendar un estadio. Los Bears están considerando un terreno cerca de Wolf Lake en Hammond, Indiana.

“La aprobación de la SB 27 marcaría el paso más significativo hasta la fecha en nuestros esfuerzos de planificación del estadio”, explicó el equipo en un comunicado. “Estamos comprometidos a completar la debida diligencia restante, específica del sitio, necesaria para respaldar nuestra visión de construir un estadio de clase mundial cerca del área de Wolf Lake en Hammond, Indiana”.

El gobernador republicano Mike Braun y los legisladores de Indiana han intentado atraer agresivamente a la franquicia fundadora de la NFL al otro lado de la frontera estatal, a pesar del esfuerzo para construir un estadio cerrado en Illinois. Los Bears no mencionaron al estado de Illinois en su comunicado.

El Comité de Ingresos y Finanzas de la Cámara de Illinois tenía previsto realizar una audiencia el jueves por la mañana para discutir un proyecto de ley que permitiría a los Bears y a cualquier otro desarrollador de un proyecto lo suficientemente grande negociar tasas de impuesto a la propiedad a largo plazo con los organismos tributarios locales. Pero eso se canceló.

“Illinois estaba listo para avanzar con este proyecto de ley. Después de una productiva reunión de tres horas ayer, los líderes de los Bears solicitaron que la (Asamblea General de Illinois) pausara la audiencia para hacer más ajustes al proyecto de ley”, escribió en la red social X Matt Hill, portavoz del gobernador JB Pritzker. “Esta mañana, nos sorprendió ver un comunicado elogiando a Indiana e ignorando a Illinois”.

Según un informe de un consultor del equipo publicado en septiembre, buscan 855 millones de dólares en financiación pública para infraestructura con el fin de construir un estadio en Arlington Heights que pudiera albergar Final Fours y Super Bowls. Los Bears también esperaban que la legislatura de Illinois aprobara un proyecto de ley en octubre pasado para congelar los impuestos a la propiedad para proyectos de construcción a gran escala como el estadio, lo que les habría permitido comenzar la construcción en 2025. Pero eso no ocurrió.

En septiembre de 2022, los Bears presentaron un plan de casi 5.000 millones de dólares en Arlington Heights que también contemplaba restaurantes, comercios y más, cuando estaban finalizando la compra de ese sitio.

Su enfoque se desplazó hacia la construcción de un nuevo estadio junto a Soldier Field después de que Kevin Warren fuera contratado como presidente hace tres años para reemplazar al retirado Ted Phillips. El plan para transformar el Museum Campus de Chicago recibió el respaldo entusiasta del alcalde Brandon Johnson, pero una acogida tibia por parte de Pritzker y los legisladores estatales cuando se anunció en abril de 2024.

La primavera pasada, el equipo anunció que volvía a centrar su atención en Arlington Heights, citando “avances significativos” con los líderes locales.

Desde que se mudaron a Chicago en 1921, los Bears nunca han sido dueños de su estadio, ya fuera jugando en Wrigley Field de 1921 a 1970 o en Soldier Field desde entonces.

___

Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/legisladores-de-indiana-apoyan-proyecto-para-que-los-bears-se-muden-a-su-estado/ 

Por ANDREW SELIGMAN

CHICAGO (AP) — Los Bears de Chicago dieron otro paso en su posible mudanza a Indiana el jueves después de que un comité clave aprobó un plan para crear una agencia que ayudaría a concretar la construcción de un estadio.

El Comité de Medios y Arbitrios de la Cámara de Representantes de Indiana aprobó por unanimidad un proyecto de ley para establecer una Autoridad de Estadios en el Noroeste de Indiana, destinada a financiar, construir y arrendar un estadio. Los Bears están considerando un terreno cerca de Wolf Lake en Hammond, Indiana.

“La aprobación de la SB 27 marcaría el paso más significativo hasta la fecha en nuestros esfuerzos de planificación del estadio”, explicó el equipo en un comunicado. “Estamos comprometidos a completar la debida diligencia restante, específica del sitio, necesaria para respaldar nuestra visión de construir un estadio de clase mundial cerca del área de Wolf Lake en Hammond, Indiana”.

El gobernador republicano Mike Braun y los legisladores de Indiana han intentado atraer agresivamente a la franquicia fundadora de la NFL al otro lado de la frontera estatal, a pesar del esfuerzo para construir un estadio cerrado en Illinois. Los Bears no mencionaron al estado de Illinois en su comunicado.

El Comité de Ingresos y Finanzas de la Cámara de Illinois tenía previsto realizar una audiencia el jueves por la mañana para discutir un proyecto de ley que permitiría a los Bears y a cualquier otro desarrollador de un proyecto lo suficientemente grande negociar tasas de impuesto a la propiedad a largo plazo con los organismos tributarios locales. Pero eso se canceló.

“Illinois estaba listo para avanzar con este proyecto de ley. Después de una productiva reunión de tres horas ayer, los líderes de los Bears solicitaron que la (Asamblea General de Illinois) pausara la audiencia para hacer más ajustes al proyecto de ley”, escribió en la red social X Matt Hill, portavoz del gobernador JB Pritzker. “Esta mañana, nos sorprendió ver un comunicado elogiando a Indiana e ignorando a Illinois”.

Según un informe de un consultor del equipo publicado en septiembre, buscan 855 millones de dólares en financiación pública para infraestructura con el fin de construir un estadio en Arlington Heights que pudiera albergar Final Fours y Super Bowls. Los Bears también esperaban que la legislatura de Illinois aprobara un proyecto de ley en octubre pasado para congelar los impuestos a la propiedad para proyectos de construcción a gran escala como el estadio, lo que les habría permitido comenzar la construcción en 2025. Pero eso no ocurrió.

En septiembre de 2022, los Bears presentaron un plan de casi 5.000 millones de dólares en Arlington Heights que también contemplaba restaurantes, comercios y más, cuando estaban finalizando la compra de ese sitio.

Su enfoque se desplazó hacia la construcción de un nuevo estadio junto a Soldier Field después de que Kevin Warren fuera contratado como presidente hace tres años para reemplazar al retirado Ted Phillips. El plan para transformar el Museum Campus de Chicago recibió el respaldo entusiasta del alcalde Brandon Johnson, pero una acogida tibia por parte de Pritzker y los legisladores estatales cuando se anunció en abril de 2024.

La primavera pasada, el equipo anunció que volvía a centrar su atención en Arlington Heights, citando “avances significativos” con los líderes locales.

Desde que se mudaron a Chicago en 1921, los Bears nunca han sido dueños de su estadio, ya fuera jugando en Wrigley Field de 1921 a 1970 o en Soldier Field desde entonces.

___

Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/legisladores-de-indiana-apoyan-proyecto-para-que-los-bears-se-muden-a-su-estado/ 

Por MICHAEL CASEY

El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de Estados Unidos (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés) propuso el jueves una norma que limitaría la vivienda pública principalmente a los ciudadanos, algo que, según defensores de derechos humanos, podría hacer que decenas de miles de personas sean desalojadas.

La norma, publicada en el Registro Federal, plantea limitar la financiación para quienes habitan viviendas públicas y otros alojamientos relacionados con el HUD a ciudadanos y no ciudadanos elegibles. La norma exigiría que cada residente de viviendas financiadas por el departamento muestre una prueba de ciudadanía o de estatus elegible, incluidos quienes tienen 62 años o más, que antes solo debían mostrar prueba de edad.

En la práctica, la medida prohibiría el acceso a la vivienda a familias de estatus mixto —en las que algunos miembros son elegibles para recibir ayuda— y forma parte de la ofensiva del gobierno contra la inmigración. Durante el primer mandato del presidente Donald Trump se propuso una norma similar pero nunca se finalizó, y se menciona como una prioridad de política en el plan conservador Project 2025,

“Bajo el liderazgo del presidente Trump, se acabaron los días en que extranjeros en situación ilegal, personas no elegibles y estafadores se aprovechaban del sistema y vivían a costa de los contribuyentes estadounidenses”, afirmó en un comunicado el secretario del HUD, Scott Turner. “La norma propuesta por el HUD garantizará que todos los residentes de viviendas financiadas por el HUD sean inquilinos elegibles. No toleraremos el hecho de dejar de lado a ciudadanos estadounidenses trabajadores mientras se permite que otros aprovechen vacíos legales de hace décadas”.

La norma propuesta se hará oficial el viernes, cuando se publique en el Registro Federal. El HUD no respondió cuánto tiempo podría pasar antes de que la norma entre en vigor.

Los defensores de la vivienda criticaron de inmediato la medida.

“Nuestro país puede garantizar que cada uno de nosotros, sin importar de dónde venimos o qué idioma hablamos, tenga un hogar seguro”, señaló en un comunicado Shamus Roller, director ejecutivo del National Housing Law Project. “En cambio, Trump trata de desalojar a familias inmigrantes, ciudadanas y no ciudadanas, de viviendas del HUD.

En diciembre, el Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, de tendencia izquierdista, estimó que hasta 20.000 familias, o hasta 80.000 personas, podrían perder la asistencia debido a cambios en la elegibilidad que anularían una norma que ha estado vigente durante décadas.

El impacto de la norma podría afectar a muchas más personas que tienen dificultades para presentar la documentación adecuada. Alrededor de 3,8 millones de adultos con ciudadanía carecen de cualquier tipo de documentación que compruebe su estatus, y otros 17,5 millones no pueden obtener los documentos con facilidad.

“Todos merecen un hogar asequible, incluidos nuestros vecinos, amigos y compañeros de trabajo que son inmigrantes”, dijo Sonya Acosta, analista sénior de políticas del Centro. “Esta norma obligaría a 20.000 familias con estatus migratorios mixtos a tomar la angustiosa decisión entre perder la asistencia que les ayuda a pagar el alquiler cada mes o separar a su familia. Las personas sin un estatus migratorio documentado nunca han sido elegibles para recibir asistencia de alquiler”.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/proponen-norma-que-obligara-a-no-ciudadanos-a-desalojar-viviendas-pblicas-de-eeuu/ 

Por MICHAEL CASEY

El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de Estados Unidos (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés) propuso el jueves una norma que limitaría la vivienda pública principalmente a los ciudadanos, algo que, según defensores de derechos humanos, podría hacer que decenas de miles de personas sean desalojadas.

La norma, publicada en el Registro Federal, plantea limitar la financiación para quienes habitan viviendas públicas y otros alojamientos relacionados con el HUD a ciudadanos y no ciudadanos elegibles. La norma exigiría que cada residente de viviendas financiadas por el departamento muestre una prueba de ciudadanía o de estatus elegible, incluidos quienes tienen 62 años o más, que antes solo debían mostrar prueba de edad.

En la práctica, la medida prohibiría el acceso a la vivienda a familias de estatus mixto —en las que algunos miembros son elegibles para recibir ayuda— y forma parte de la ofensiva del gobierno contra la inmigración. Durante el primer mandato del presidente Donald Trump se propuso una norma similar pero nunca se finalizó, y se menciona como una prioridad de política en el plan conservador Project 2025,

“Bajo el liderazgo del presidente Trump, se acabaron los días en que extranjeros en situación ilegal, personas no elegibles y estafadores se aprovechaban del sistema y vivían a costa de los contribuyentes estadounidenses”, afirmó en un comunicado el secretario del HUD, Scott Turner. “La norma propuesta por el HUD garantizará que todos los residentes de viviendas financiadas por el HUD sean inquilinos elegibles. No toleraremos el hecho de dejar de lado a ciudadanos estadounidenses trabajadores mientras se permite que otros aprovechen vacíos legales de hace décadas”.

La norma propuesta se hará oficial el viernes, cuando se publique en el Registro Federal. El HUD no respondió cuánto tiempo podría pasar antes de que la norma entre en vigor.

Los defensores de la vivienda criticaron de inmediato la medida.

“Nuestro país puede garantizar que cada uno de nosotros, sin importar de dónde venimos o qué idioma hablamos, tenga un hogar seguro”, señaló en un comunicado Shamus Roller, director ejecutivo del National Housing Law Project. “En cambio, Trump trata de desalojar a familias inmigrantes, ciudadanas y no ciudadanas, de viviendas del HUD.

En diciembre, el Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, de tendencia izquierdista, estimó que hasta 20.000 familias, o hasta 80.000 personas, podrían perder la asistencia debido a cambios en la elegibilidad que anularían una norma que ha estado vigente durante décadas.

El impacto de la norma podría afectar a muchas más personas que tienen dificultades para presentar la documentación adecuada. Alrededor de 3,8 millones de adultos con ciudadanía carecen de cualquier tipo de documentación que compruebe su estatus, y otros 17,5 millones no pueden obtener los documentos con facilidad.

“Todos merecen un hogar asequible, incluidos nuestros vecinos, amigos y compañeros de trabajo que son inmigrantes”, dijo Sonya Acosta, analista sénior de políticas del Centro. “Esta norma obligaría a 20.000 familias con estatus migratorios mixtos a tomar la angustiosa decisión entre perder la asistencia que les ayuda a pagar el alquiler cada mes o separar a su familia. Las personas sin un estatus migratorio documentado nunca han sido elegibles para recibir asistencia de alquiler”.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/proponen-norma-que-obligara-a-no-ciudadanos-a-desalojar-viviendas-pblicas-de-eeuu/ 

When Monique and Antwon Brown are looking to go to brunch or have dinner in a lively atmosphere, they are likely heading to Chicago, but the Oswego couple is now looking to bring those types of “Vibez” to downtown Aurora.

Their new restaurant, Vibez on the River, is located in the storefront where Endiro Coffee used to be, which is on New York Street across the river from the current location of the Hollywood Casino. Its soft opening is planned for this Saturday, Feb. 21, with a grand opening expected on March 7.

Patrons of the riverside spot can expect to enjoy soul food with a twist alongside music that will have them wanting to groove in their seats, Monique Brown told The Beacon-News. The couple said they haven’t really seen a restaurant like this around here.

Plus, many places in downtown Aurora close early, but they don’t want to be in bed by 9 p.m., according to Antwon Brown. He said that, as responsible adults, they should be able to come out and have a drink at midnight without having to drive to Naperville or Chicago, which is why their restaurant will have extended hours.

The top floor of the restaurant, which sits at street-level on New York Street, is expected to be more of a family-friendly restaurant, Monique Brown said. But the bottom floor, she said, will have an after-hours, lounge-type vibe.

Still, both upstairs and downstairs will have the same menus and full bars, she said.

Many people they know go to Chicago to eat, but the couple wants to keep people here in Aurora, Antwon Brown said. During a recent taste-testing for the restaurant, he said, people were telling him that they just can’t get food like this around here.

One of the restaurant’s main dishes, Antwon Brown said, will be the catfish for similar reasons — they don’t know of anywhere around Aurora that makes it the way they like it.

The restaurant’s menu, posted on its Facebook page, lists both a Southern-style fried catfish filet dinner as well as an appetizer of fried Cajun-seasoned catfish chunks. Monique Brown said the catfish will be breaded and seasoned with their own unique recipe.

Another dish Antwon Brown expects to be one of the restaurant’s biggest sellers is the lamb chops, which the menu says will be marinated and grilled.

In general, the restaurant will have a lot of seasonings and marinated meats to “bring the flavor,” said Monique Brown.

Beyond catfish and lamb chops, the menu also includes Cajun chicken alfredo pasta, crispy golden fried wings, seasoned and lightly breaded salmon chunks, fried green tomatoes and more.

The Browns are used to cooking large amounts of food — after all, their house has always been “the party house,” according to Antwon Brown. Food brings people together like nothing else can, his wife said.

Although Vibez on the River is the couple’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant, they ran a jerk chicken catering business for years, they said. That got overwhelming, Antwon Brown said, because they would work their regular jobs all week, sometimes even going out of town on business trips, and then cook all weekend for the catering orders.

They originally looked at doing a jerk chicken restaurant, but the kitchen build-out and labor was just too expensive, he said. While that may be a concept they revisit in the future, he said, the current restaurant idea was built around the location they found in downtown Aurora, which is located at 29 W. New York St.

Being on the river, the restaurant has partnered with the city of Aurora to have outdoor seating. Like at bars and restaurants along the riverwalk in downtown Chicago, the couple hopes people walking the Fox River in Aurora will stop to grab some drinks or a bite to eat, especially during the summer.

“I never really paid attention to how beautiful this atmosphere was until recently,” Antwon Brown said. “You’ve got the waterfall over here, you got another one down there. Like, the river is really beautiful.”

Once the weather gets warmer, the plan is to open up the doors, bring out the patio tables and really let the summertime in, according to Monique Brown. That way, she said, patrons can have an appetizer and a cocktail on the river and just enjoy the ambiance and the view.

As for the music, patrons at any time can expect the restaurant’s sound system to be playing R&B and pop music. But, the weekends may also see live DJs and brunches with live bands, the two owners said.

“There’s going to be music in the background,” Monique Brown said. “Not too loud, where you can have a conversation, but definitely something you can groove to while you enjoy the food.”

The couple chose Aurora because it is diverse and because it is up-and-coming, she said. The couple understands that the city is working to revitalize its downtown, she said, and they thought this restaurant would be a piece of the puzzle it has been missing.

But their future plans might extend beyond Aurora city limits. Eventually they want to make this their full-time job, they said, and potentially expand to additional locations.

“We’re hoping, a couple of years down the line, we have ‘Vibez on Michigan Avenue,’” Monique Brown said. “That’s the goal.”

rsmith@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/new-restaurant-looks-to-bring-different-vibez-to-downtown-aurora/ 

When Monique and Antwon Brown are looking to go to brunch or have dinner in a lively atmosphere, they are likely heading to Chicago, but the Oswego couple is now looking to bring those types of “Vibez” to downtown Aurora.

Their new restaurant, Vibez on the River, is located in the storefront where Endiro Coffee used to be, which is on New York Street across the river from the current location of the Hollywood Casino. Its soft opening is planned for this Saturday, Feb. 21, with a grand opening expected on March 7.

Patrons of the riverside spot can expect to enjoy soul food with a twist alongside music that will have them wanting to groove in their seats, Monique Brown told The Beacon-News. The couple said they haven’t really seen a restaurant like this around here.

Plus, many places in downtown Aurora close early, but they don’t want to be in bed by 9 p.m., according to Antwon Brown. He said that, as responsible adults, they should be able to come out and have a drink at midnight without having to drive to Naperville or Chicago, which is why their restaurant will have extended hours.

The top floor of the restaurant, which sits at street-level on New York Street, is expected to be more of a family-friendly restaurant, Monique Brown said. But the bottom floor, she said, will have an after-hours, lounge-type vibe.

Still, both upstairs and downstairs will have the same menus and full bars, she said.

Many people they know go to Chicago to eat, but the couple wants to keep people here in Aurora, Antwon Brown said. During a recent taste-testing for the restaurant, he said, people were telling him that they just can’t get food like this around here.

One of the restaurant’s main dishes, Antwon Brown said, will be the catfish for similar reasons — they don’t know of anywhere around Aurora that makes it the way they like it.

The restaurant’s menu, posted on its Facebook page, lists both a Southern-style fried catfish filet dinner as well as an appetizer of fried Cajun-seasoned catfish chunks. Monique Brown said the catfish will be breaded and seasoned with their own unique recipe.

Another dish Antwon Brown expects to be one of the restaurant’s biggest sellers is the lamb chops, which the menu says will be marinated and grilled.

In general, the restaurant will have a lot of seasonings and marinated meats to “bring the flavor,” said Monique Brown.

Beyond catfish and lamb chops, the menu also includes Cajun chicken alfredo pasta, crispy golden fried wings, seasoned and lightly breaded salmon chunks, fried green tomatoes and more.

The Browns are used to cooking large amounts of food — after all, their house has always been “the party house,” according to Antwon Brown. Food brings people together like nothing else can, his wife said.

Although Vibez on the River is the couple’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant, they ran a jerk chicken catering business for years, they said. That got overwhelming, Antwon Brown said, because they would work their regular jobs all week, sometimes even going out of town on business trips, and then cook all weekend for the catering orders.

They originally looked at doing a jerk chicken restaurant, but the kitchen build-out and labor was just too expensive, he said. While that may be a concept they revisit in the future, he said, the current restaurant idea was built around the location they found in downtown Aurora, which is located at 29 W. New York St.

Being on the river, the restaurant has partnered with the city of Aurora to have outdoor seating. Like at bars and restaurants along the riverwalk in downtown Chicago, the couple hopes people walking the Fox River in Aurora will stop to grab some drinks or a bite to eat, especially during the summer.

“I never really paid attention to how beautiful this atmosphere was until recently,” Antwon Brown said. “You’ve got the waterfall over here, you got another one down there. Like, the river is really beautiful.”

Once the weather gets warmer, the plan is to open up the doors, bring out the patio tables and really let the summertime in, according to Monique Brown. That way, she said, patrons can have an appetizer and a cocktail on the river and just enjoy the ambiance and the view.

As for the music, patrons at any time can expect the restaurant’s sound system to be playing R&B and pop music. But, the weekends may also see live DJs and brunches with live bands, the two owners said.

“There’s going to be music in the background,” Monique Brown said. “Not too loud, where you can have a conversation, but definitely something you can groove to while you enjoy the food.”

The couple chose Aurora because it is diverse and because it is up-and-coming, she said. The couple understands that the city is working to revitalize its downtown, she said, and they thought this restaurant would be a piece of the puzzle it has been missing.

But their future plans might extend beyond Aurora city limits. Eventually they want to make this their full-time job, they said, and potentially expand to additional locations.

“We’re hoping, a couple of years down the line, we have ‘Vibez on Michigan Avenue,’” Monique Brown said. “That’s the goal.”

rsmith@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/new-restaurant-looks-to-bring-different-vibez-to-downtown-aurora/ 

For 35 years, Philip Hablutzel was a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he specialized in teaching difficult subjects like business law, financial securities law and international finance.

Philip Hablutzel. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

“Phil arrived at Kent with a group of powerful intellects who really transformed that school from a local night school to a nationally recognized institution,” said Chicago-based freelance sports journalist and lawyer Lester Munson, a friend and law school classmate.

“He quickly established himself as the school’s top professor in courses involving business, international finance, financial services, securities and commercial law,” Munson said. “He also was instrumental in developing a curriculum on the laws governing not-for-profit organizations.”

Hablutzel, 90, died of complications from progressive supranuclear palsy on Jan. 6 at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, said his wife of 45 years, Nancy.

He had lived in Durham since 2016 and prior to that had lived in Streeterville and Hyde Park.

Born in 1935 in Flagstaff, Arizona, Hablutzel was the son of a physicist father who relocated his family from Flagstaff to Albuquerque, New Mexico, when Hablutzel was 7 years old.

Hablutzel then lived with his family in San Jose, California, for a year before moving to Shreveport, Louisiana, where he attended Bird High School for one year before transferring to the now-shuttered Kemper Military School in Missouri.

Eyeing a career as a physicist, Hablutzel earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Louisiana State University in 1956. By the end of his undergraduate studies, however, Hablutzel found himself drawn to philosophy, and he headed overseas to study both philosophy and law at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Upon his return, he earned a master’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago in 1961.

Hablutzel encountered a legal issue while researching his master’s thesis — which was about Greek military leader and philosopher Xenophon — and his thesis adviser suggested that he attend law school, Nancy Hablutzel said. Hablutzel enrolled at the U. of C.’s law school, getting a degree in 1967.

Classmates included future U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, future New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and future American Bar Association President Roberta Ramo.

After law school, Hablutzel worked for four years for the Chicago-based American Bar Foundation, where he was a deputy project director and wrote a book, “Model Residential Landlord-Tenant Code,” which eventually was adopted by 21 states and some cities.

In 1971, Chicago-Kent hired Hablutzel to be a law professor, just two years after the law school had merged with the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Hablutzel also served as the founding president of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, a role he held from the school’s 1979 opening until 1983. He also served as its attorney prior to its opening and oversaw seven accreditation processes for the school.

At Chicago-Kent, Hablutzel soon gained a reputation for teaching some of the law school’s toughest courses, including banking law, international capital markets, international commercial arbitration, money laundering, securities regulation and business torts.

Hablutzel was an expert on international finance and on nonprofit law, and he integrated those interests into Chicago-Kent’s offerings, both in founding a graduate program in financial services law — a program that he led as its director from 1985 until 1996 — and serving as the faculty sponsor for an annual conference on nonprofit groups.

“He was a major, major contributor to the law school’s development,” said Martin H. Malin, a retired Chicago-Kent law professor. “He led the law school’s master’s program in financial services law, and his area was corporations and finance and the like, but he also developed a course in Roman law, which was pretty amazing.”

Munson recalled Hablutzel as a “sought-after presenter” at continuing legal education seminars on corporate and commercial law, particularly because of how accessible he made subjects to his audience.

“He avoided the abstruse abstractions that so many law professors wallowed in and produced a perfect mix of theory and background, interpretation of black-letter language and practical suggestions,” Munson said.

Munson said Hablutzel took his work seriously, and cast his gaze at worlds far beyond the law.

“At a time when professors would show up in hoodies and jeans and sneakers, Phil was the consummate professional — always a tie, frequently three-piece suits,” Munson said. “He was interested in things far beyond what he taught. Keep in mind, we are talking about a guy with college and advanced degrees in physics, philosophy, political science, the classics and the law.”

Hablutzel also worked overseas while at Chicago-Kent as an international exchange professor in China, Germany, Thailand and the UK. And he was awarded a Fulbright research grant in 1992 and spent time teaching in Mainz, Germany, in 1993.

Hablutzel’s knowledge of nonprofit law led him to serve in an of-counsel capacity to his wife’s law firm, helping to advise a number of their clients. He assisted with the Illinois Secretary of State’s advisory subcommittee on nonprofit law, which from 1984 until 1987 rewrote the state’s not-for-profit corporation act.

Hablutzel also “was a master of the language of the law,” Munson said, and he was an expert on for-profit law as well, drafting business statutes and helping to rewrite for-profit business laws.

Beginning in 2006, he was director of the Institute of Illinois Business Law — the successor to the Secretary of State’s corporation acts advisory committee — and he was the institute’s chair from 2016 until 2018.

Starting in 1990, Hablutzel served on a state subcommittee on limited liability companies that led to the creation of the state’s first limited liability companies law in 1992.

Hablutzel wrote or co-authored several books, including a two-volume text on international banking law.

Outside of the legal profession, Hablutzel enjoyed sailing, traveling and photography, and he sold prints of his photographs at the 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park.

After moving to North Carolina in 2016, Hablutzel served on the finance committee for the North Carolina Opera, and he took numerous Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes classes with his wife.

In addition to his wife, Hablutzel is survived by a daughter, Margo; a son, Robert; two granddaughters; and a sister, Caroline Anaya.

A celebration of life service was held in North Carolina.

Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/philip-hablutzel-chicago-kent-obituary/